Tony Hicks

Saxophones, flutes, clarinets

photo credit: Matthew Stanton

Tony joined the AAO in 2007 following a long-standing casual association that began with the original “Ringing The Bell Backwards” recording sessions in 1994, and included tours to Europe (Into the Fire, 2000), Mexico (Passion, 2005), New Zealand (Passion, 2007), and a number of Australian tours and performances of various projects. He now plays a key role in the ground-breaking “Crossing Roper Bar” collaboration, and contributes his multi-woodwind skills to many of the AAO’s performance and education projects.

He studied classical saxophone in Melbourne with Dr Peter Clinch, reaching the national finals of the ABC Concerto and Vocal competition in 1984. In 1981 he traveled to New York for further study of composition and improvisation at the Eastman School of Music, saxophone with Joe Allard and Carmine Caruso, and flute with Harold Bennett.

Throughout his career he has been involved in numerous jazz groups, classical and avant-guarde music ensembles (Peter Clinch Saxophone Quartet 1976-1988, Elision 1993-4, Heretics Brew 2007-), and many commercial music projects including over 70 professional theatre productions, recordings for film, television and major events, and live performances with international artists including Frank Sinatra, Stevie Wonder, Billy Cobham and Randy Brecker.

Recent post-graduate research at the Victorian College of the Arts has included documentation and analysis of the music of the Wagilak clan, incorporation of microtonality, extended techniques and electronic sound processing into his performance practice with avant-garde Australian sound artists David Tolley, Ren Walters and the Bent Leather Band, and a concurrent examination into the various philosophical perspectives of the emergent improvisation process.

Tony teaches in several Melbourne high schools where he is a keen proponent of improvisation within the music curriculum, and tutors at the Victorian College of the Arts, Melbourne University, and NMIT.